Machine for filling bottles or the like.



PATENTED JAN. 20, 19-03.

No.-718,711. v R. W. HUSS.

MACHINE FOR FILLING BOTTLES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

no MO'DEL.

[2202110 AQ'da-C A'ZJ. HM) Chm. 9., ag-L an:

No. 718,711. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903.

- R. W. HUSS.

MACHINE FOR FILLING BOTTLES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1902.

no MODEL. -3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' PATENTBD JAN. 20, 1903.

w.- HUSS. MACHINE FO-R FILLING BOTTLES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 190B, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I0 MODEL. 1

1770622 for. Q 2 1546144 llllll fi how-5 gfnaszse I k UNITE STATES ATENT FFICE.

RUDOLPH W. HUSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MACHFNE FORFILLING BOTTLES OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 718,711, dated January 20, 1903.

Application filed July 3,1902. Serial No. 114,209. (No model.)

To (ZZZ whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH W. HUSS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Filling Bottles.

and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bottle-filling machines of the kind in which a distributingreservoir is provided with pendent eduction or filling tubes having gaskets for temporarily sealing the bottles when the eduction or filling tubes are projected therein and airducts whereby air may escape from the bottles which are being filled, the eduction or filling tubes being projected into and withdrawn from the bottles by a relative movement between the distributing-reservoir and a support or holder for the bottles arranged below the distributing-reservoir, such relative movement involving either the lowering and raising of the distributing-reservoir or a like movement on the part of the support or holder for the bottles.

Objects of my invention are to dispense with the multiplicity of valves heretofore employed for opening and closing the eduction or filling tubes and for controlling the air-ducts and to automatically control the fiow of liquid or semiliquid matter through aset of eduction or filling tubesleading from the distributing-reservoir by a single valve common to all of such tubes, to provide a simple and efficient construction of fillingmachine which can be readily cleaned, to automatically arrest the flow of liquid into the bottles and prevent the flow of liquid from the distributing-reservoir when the eductionor filling tubes are withdrawn from the bottles in a simple and novel way, and to provide certain novel and improved features of construction and arrangement in machines for filling bottles.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an end elevation of a bottle-filling machine embodying my improvements with the distributing-reservoir lowered. Fig. 2 is a like view with the distributing-reservoir raised. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through one of the eduction or filling tubes and certain adjuncts. Fig. 4 shows the machine in side elevation. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the machine with one end portion of the distributing-reservoir broken away and in section. Fig. 6 is a section on line a; a; in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is alike view showing a filling or eduction tube comprising a set of small tubes or passages. Fig. 8 is a detail View showing the valve-shifter and supply-valve partly in section, with portions of the valve-stem and valve-shifter broken away for convenience of illustration.

A indicates the distributing-reservoir, and B denotes a support for the bottles, which are illustrated by dotted lines. The distributing-reservoir is provided with a set of pendent eduction or filling tubes 0, having their lower terminal portions adapted to enter the bottles that are to be filled. The distributing reservoir A and the bottle -s'upport B are relatively movable toward and away from each other, whereby the bottle-filling or eduction tubes C can be extended into the bottles and withdrawn therefrom in alternation, it being understood that, broadly considered, either the reservoir A or the bottlesupport B could be arranged for up-anddown movement, thereby attaining a relative movement between said members. I prefer, however, to arrange the distributingreservoir for up-and-down movement, and,

as illustrated, it has its ends provided with guide-bearings 1, arranged to slide upon vertical guide-rods D, which rise from the bottle-support B. With this arrangement the guide-rods D can be detachably secured in sockets 2 on the bottlesupport, and the downward movement of the distributingreservoir can be limited by stops 3, adjustably secured upon the guide-rod.

Each filling-tube C consists of a section or length of straight tubing rigidly secured to and terminating at the lower side of the distributing-reservoir, as best shown in Fig. 3, wherein the upper end of the eduction-tube is illustrated as opening into the bottom portion of the eduction-reservoir, the tube being braced by a flanged coupling-sleeve 4. With this construction the bottom portion of the reservoir is provided with a set of continuously-open eduction-ports 5, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and in this connection it will be obvalves, as in many prior bottle-filling machinesinvolvinga distributing-reservoirhaving a set of filling-tubes.

Each filling-tube C is provided with a ventductE,openingatits lowerinlet end 6 through and at one side of the filling-tube at a point above the lower terminal 7 of such tube, as in Fig. 3. The filling-tubes C may be constructed in any suitable way to provide these vent-ducts; but as a simple arrangement; the vent-ducts are formed by tubes 8, extending longitudinally within the fillingtubes and having their lower end portions arranged to form lateral inlet-ports through the filling-tubes, as at 6, and having their upper end portions extending laterally and outwardly through the filling-tubes and connected with a horizontallyarranged and somewhat larger tube F, which is conveniently supported by the set of vent-tubes 8. lVith this arrangement the pipe or tube F, which is common to all of the vent-tubes 8, can be closed at its end 9, Fig. l, and have its opposite end portion 10 suitably extended, whereby any liquid which may find its way up through the vent-tubes and into the tube or pipe F may be discharged into a suitable receptacle,which it is not necessary to herein illustrate.

Each filling-tube is provided with an externally-arranged gasket G, which is positioned above the lower inlet-port 6 of the vent-duct and adapted to temporarily seal the neck of a bottle into which the lower end portion of the filling-tube may be projected, as in Fig. 3, wherein the bottle-neck 11 is indicated by dotted lines, it being seen that when the filling-tube is thus extended into the neck of a bottle for the purpose of filling the latter the rubber or other suitable gasket G will be clamped down upon the upper end of the bottle-neck, so as to close any space which may exist between the filling-tube and the neck of the bottle.

In order to easily center the bottles with reference to the filling-tubes and to hold the gaskets G upon the bottle-necks with a yielding spring-pressure, each filling-tube is provided with a sliding inverted -cone-shaped cap H, formed with or secured upon a sleeve 12, which is arranged to slide longitudinally upon the eduction-tube, as in Fig. 3. The packing or gasket G is arranged within the upper end of such cone-shaped cap, and a spring 13 is arranged about the filling-tube and the upper portion of the sleeve 12 and confined between the top end 14 of the conical cap and a stop 15, which is adjustably secured upon the filling-tube. By such arrangement the downward movement of the fillingtubes will compress the springs 13 after the gaskets have been seated upon the bottlenecks, and thereby secure suitablytight joints. The sleeves 12 of the caps II and the filling-tubes upon which such sleeves have a limited sliding movement are relatively arranged, whereby the lower end portions of the filling-tubes extend below the sleeves 12, so that while the lower end portions of the sleeves 12, which are below the gaskets or packings, may extend into the bottles, as in Fig. 3, the lower end portions of the fillingtubes will project below the sleeves 12, and thereby expose the inlet ends or ports 6 of the vent-tubes within the bottle-necks. When, therefore, a bottle is sealed by the gasket, as in Fig. 3, and liquid matter is allowed to flow from the distributing-reservoir into the bottle by way of the filling-tube, air from the bottle which is being filled will fiow out through the vent-duct E until the liquld mat ter rises within the bottle to an extent to cover the lower inlet port or end 6 of the ventduct, at which juncture the flow of liquid into the bottle will cease, for the reason that any further tendency on the part of the liquid matter to rise above the inlet-port 6 will be opposed by a body of air confined within such space as may exist between the inner wall of the bottle-neck and the outer surface portio s of the sleeve 12 and the eduction or filling tube E, which are below the gasket or packing and above the lower end or port 6 of the vent-tube. In this way the flow of liquid matters into the bottles is automatically arrested at a proper moment without the assistance of any valve or valve-shifting devices.

In order to now permit the distributingreservoir, with its filling-tubes and sealing means, to be raised, so as to withdraw the filling-tubes from the bottles and at the same time prevent flow of liquid or liquid matter from the distributing-reservoir after it has been thus raised, I provide the distributingreservoir with a supply-valve I, arranged for opening and closing a supply port or passage K, through which liquid may be introduced into the distributing-reservoir from any suitable source of supply, and I also provide a valve-shifting device or mechanism which is automatically actuated from or by the relative movement between the distributingreservoir and the bottle-support at times to open the valve I after the bottles have been scaled by the filling means, as in Fig. 3, and to close or permit the closing of said valve I before the relative movement between the distributing-reservoir and the bottle-support in a direction to unseal the bottles and withdraw the filling-tubes therefrom has served to thus open the bottles and withdraw the eduction or filling tubes.

As a device or mechanism embodying the principles of this portion of my invention, L indicates a horizontal rock-shaft arranged parallel with and alongside of the distributing-reservoir and supported by arms or bearings 16 on the guide rods or standards D, the lower ends of such arms conveniently forming the stops 3 for the guide-bearings 1 of the distributing-reservoir hereinbefore mentioned. The rock-shaft L is provided with a leverarm 17, whereby it can be conveniently 0pcred.

e'rated, and as a means for raising and lowering the distributing-reservoir the rock-shaft is provided with arms M, which are secured to the rock-shaft and connected with the distributing-reservoir, a simple way being to provide the end portions 1 of the distributingreservoir with studs or pins 18, Figs. 1 and 2, which extend through slots 19 in the outer end portions of these vibratory arms M, in which way the arms M have sliding connections with the distributing-cylinder, so as to permit the vibratory action of the arms to produce a reciprocating vertical movement on the part of the distributing-reservoir.

In order to actuate the valve I from the rock-shaft L and to time the action of the valve with reference to conditions hereinbefore mentioned, the rock-shaft is connected with a valve-shifter N, which in turn has a limited sliding connection with stem 20 of the supply-valve I. The valve-shifter N may be of one or more parts, being conveniently formed as a yoke having side portions 21, hinged at one end to avibratory arm 22, which is secured upon the rock -shaft. With this arrangement the valve-stem 20 supports a sliding cross-head 23, Fig. 5, provided at its ends with studs or pins 24:, which extend through slots 25, Figs. 1 and 2, in the side bars 21 of the valve-shifter N, whereby the valve-shifter may move longitudinally to a certain extent without operating the valve, which latter will be actuated by the valve-shifter when a positive connection is established between such members by reason of the engagement of one end wall of slot 25 in the valve-shifter with a stud or pin 24 on the cross-head 23, as aforesaid. The valve-stem 20 extends through and beyond the cross-head 23 and is provided at its outer end with a cross-bar 26, to which are attached a couple of balan ce-springs 27, arranged to connect the crossbar 26 with lugs 28 on the distributing-reservoir, as best shown in Fig. 4. The valve-stem 20 is arranged to reciprocate through the cross-head 23, and between the latter and the cross-bar 26, which is secured upon the valvestem, is arranged a spring 29. When the distributing-reservoir is raised, as in Fig. 2, the studs 24 on the cross-head 23 will be at what may be termed the outer ends of the slots 25 in the valve-shifter Nand the several members of the mechanism for operating the distributing-reservoir and for actuating the supply-valve will be relatively positioned substantially as shown in said figure. If now the lever-arm 17 is depressed, as shown in Fig. 1, the distributing-reservoir will be low- During the downward movement of the distributing-reservoir the valve-shifter N will have a combined tilting and forward end movement, the latter being in a direction toward the crossbar 26, and during the initial portion of this forward end movement on the part of the valve-shifter N the valve will be passive, owing to the sliding connection between the valve-shifter and the studs 24: on

the cross-head. When, however, the valveshifter has thus moved forward to an extent to bring the rear end walls of its slots 25 into engagement with the studs 24, it will shift the cross-head 23 forwardly upon the valvestem 20, thereby compressing the spring 29 against the stop or cross-bar 26 on the valvestem and as a result thereof causing the valve-stem to move forwardly or outwardly in a direction to open the supply-valve I and expand the springs 27.

The mechanism thus described is so timed that the shift of the supply-valve in a direction to open it takes place after the distributing-reservoir has been lowered to an extent to cause the filling-tubes to project into the bottles and the gaskets G to clamp down upon and seal the latter. After the bottles have been suitably filled and the flow of liquid or liquid matter into the bottles has been automatically arrested by reason of its rising to an extent to cover the lower ends of the ventducts the lever-arm 17 can be raised for the purpose of first closing the supply-valve and then raising the distributing-reservoir, so as to unseal the bottles and Withdraw the fillingtubes therefrom. This will be readily understood from the comparison of Fig. 1 with Fig. 2, it being understood-that in Fig. 1 the distributing-reservoir is lowered to an extent to seal and fill the bottles and that studs 24 on the cross-head 23 are at the rear or inner ends of slots 25 in the valve-shifter N and that if now the lever-arm 17 is swung upwardly the valve-shifter N will by reason of arm 22 on the rock-shaft have a return movement permitting springs 27 to close the supply-valve before the distributingcylinder has been raised to an extent to unseal the bottles, it being observed in this connection that when the bottles are sealed by the packings G the springs 13 will be compressed and that the initial upward movement of the filling-tubes C will not unseal the bottles until the springs 13 have expanded.

The distributing-cylinder is provided with one or more vent-tubes P, having valves 30, whereby in primarily filling the distributingcylinder air therefrom can be allowed to escape by opening the valves 30. In order to balance the vertical movable distributing-cylinder, the rock-shaft is provided with an arm 31, having acounterweight The supplypassage K is formed through a neck 33, suitably attached to the distributing cylinder and adapted to couple with a flexible supplypipe.

In operating this machine the supply-valve for the distributing-reservoir is first opened and the reservoir and its filling-tubes are then filled with the liquid, and this can be readily accomplished While the filling-tubes are in position to fill a set of bottles, as in Fig. 4, it being observed that While thus filling the distributing reservoir the valves 30 can be opened, so as to permit the escape of air therefrom, and that as soon as the reservoir is filled these valves or cocks are to be closed. The act of lowering the distributing-reservoir, so as to project the filling-tubes into the bottles, causes the gaskets G to be brought against the necks ofthe bottles, so as to seal the same, the springs 13 upon the eductiontubes being compressed by a limited extent of down movement on the part of the distributing-reservoir after the gaskets have engaged the necks of the bottles.

As the filling-tubes form permanentlyopen passages leading from the distributingreservoir, liquid from the latter will flow into the bottles until itrises therein to aheight to cover the lower ends of the vent-ducts E, and at such juncture further filling of the bottles will be automatically arrested by the opposition of such air as may be confined within the upper portions of the bottle-necks above the lowerends ofthevent-ducts. Then the distributing-reservoir is raised so as to remove the gaskets from the bottles, and thereby unseal the same, further flow of liquid from the tubes is prevented by closing the supply-valve for the distributing-reservoir, whereby the contents of the filled distributing-reservoir and its eduction-tube C will be held therein by external atmospheric pressure, it being seen that when the air-escape valves or cocks 30 and the supply-valve I are closed the distributing-reservoir will be hermetically sealed with the exception of the points at which the lower ends of its filling-tubes open.

In order to prevent drip or discharge from the fillingtubes when the gaskets G are raised to an extent to unseal the bottles, the supply-valve I should be closed before the bottles are thus unsealed, and to such end the operation of the mechanism for raising and lowering the distributing-reservoir also serves to effect the closure of the supply-valve for the distributing-reservoir before the latter has been raised to an extent to unseal the bottles, and, as hereinbefore described, the operation of this mechanism also serves to open the supply-valve for the distributingreservoir after the filling-tubes have been projected into the bottles and the lattersealed by the gaskets. It will also be observed that the vent-ducts E are arranged to permit air from the bottles to escape outside of the distributing-reservoir and that by the arrangement illustrated the vent-ducts and the filling-tubes perform their respective functions without valves or valve devices applied thereto other than that the gaskets G upon the filling-tubes operate as valves for sealing the necks of the bottles during the operation of filling the same.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a bottle-filling machine, a distributing-reservoir having a set of pendent fillingtubes forming permanently-open dischargepassages leading from the distributing-reservoir, and provided with gaskets for sealing the bottle-necks; vent-tubes extending upwardly from points between the gaskets and the lower terminals of the eduction-tubes and permitting air from the bottles which are being filled to discharge outside of the distributing-reservoir; and a supply-valve arranged for establishing and cutting off the flow of liquid from a source of supply into the distributirig-reservoir; the flow of liquid from the distributing-reservoir into the bottles being established by opening the supply-valve for the distributing-reservoir, and bein'gautomatically arrested by liquid in the bottles rising to a height to cover the lower ends of the vent-tubes while the bottles are sealed by the gaskets, further discharge of fluid when the bottles are unsealed by the gaskets being prevented by closure of the supply-valve for the distributing-reservoir, and atmospheric pressure while such valve is closed.

2. In a machine for filling bottles, a distributing-reservoir having pendent fillingtubes adapted to enter the necks of the bot tles and provided with gaskets above their lower terminals for temporarily sealing the bottles when the lower terminal portions of such tubes are projected therein, and ventducts extending upwardly from points between the lower terminals of the filling-tubes and the gaskets or packings and having their lower ends arranged to open into the bottles when the filling-tubes are projected into the latter; a supply-passage connected with the distributing-reservoir; a supply-valve for establishing and cutting 01? the How of liquid into the distributing-reservoir; a bottle-support arranged below the distributing-reservoir, said bottle-support and distributingreservoir being relatively movable to permit the filling-tubes to be alternately projected into and withdrawn from the bottles upon the bottle-support; and a valve-shifting device which is actuated by such relative movement between the bottle-support and the distributing-reservoir, and applied and timed to open the supply-valve when the filling-tubes are projected into the bottles and the latter sealed by the gaskets, and to close said supply-valve before the bottles are unsealed by the gaskets or packings.

3. In a bottle-filling machine, a distributing-reservoir arranged for vertical reciprocative movement and having pendent fillingtubes; a supply-valve arranged for opening and closing a supply port or passage with which the distributing-reservoir is provided; a valve-shifter for opening the supply-valve, and a spring for closing the same; and mechanism for lowering and raising the distributing-reservoir, and for operating the valveshifter in a direction to open the supply-valve after causing the distributing-reservoir to perform a portion of its required down movement.

4. In a bottle-filling machine, a distributing-reservoir arranged for vertical reciprocative movement and provided with pendent filling-tubes; sleeves provided with gaskets and arranged upon the filling-tubes as rela- ICC tively sliding members; springs interposed between stops respectively upon the fillingtubes and the sleeves thereon; a'supply-valve arranged to open and close a supply-port with which the distributing-reservoir is provided; a valve-shifter for opening the supply-valve and a spring for closing the same; and a device for reciprocating both the valve-shifter and the distributing-reservoir; the said valveshifter being connected with the supply-valve but having a limited extent of play independent of the supply-valve.

5. In a bottle-filling machine, a distributing-reservoir having a set of filling-tubes, and a bottle-support arranged below the distributing-reservoir; the bottle-support and the distributing-reservoir being relatively movable in directions to cause the filling-tubes to project into and withdraw from bottles upon the bottle-support; a supply-valve for opening and closing a supply port or passage with which the distributing-reservoir is provided; a reciprocating valve-shifter having a shifting connection with the supply-valve; and an operating to close the supply-valve; a rockshaft connected with both the valve-shifter and the distributing-reservoir.

RUDOLPH W. HUSS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES G. PAGE, OTTILIE O. MEERING. 

